The Midwest Fencing Conference features three of the nation's top four teams: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 4 Northwestern. Despite this, the Midwest does not get equal representation amongst schools that get bids for the NCAA Championships.
"The Midwest is just so strong, but there are not a lot of schools," coach Laurie Schiller said. "The East, for example, gets a lot more representation because of the number of schools and funding."
When NU competes in the NCAA Midwest Regional this weekend in Detroit, 10 fencers will travel to qualify for NCAA Championships the following weekend in Columbus, Ohio. Of those 10, only six could potentially qualify for Nationals because of NCAA restrictions stating that each team can send a maximum of six fencers - two in each of the three weapons.
"It's hard for us and it kind of pisses me off," Schiller said. "I worked hard when I was on the (NCAA Fencing) Committee to get this straightened out, but the East just defends their turf and likes it the way it is. In the end it's not fair, and there is a real disparity."
Three Wildcats foilists will travel to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional: Sam Nemecek, Natalie Wang and Meredith Baskies. A season ago the same group traveled to the Regional competition. Nemecek finished second, while Wang finished seventh and Baskies finished eighth.
Baskies just missed out on qualifying for the national competition a year ago but hopes she can make it this year.
"It's a really big dream of mine to go to NCAA Championships," Baskies said. "I'd really love for it to happen. I beat the No. 1 foilist last week, so now having that out of the way is a big advantage. It's a real confidence boost and I'd love to do it again."
NU also will send three sabreists to the competition: Allie Keller, Whitney White and Adrienne Shon. A year ago Shon finished a team-best 10th in sabre.
NU's strongest squad, epée, will have four representatives: twin sisters Kayley and Christa French, Joanna Niklinska and Megan Ross. Last year Kayley placed fifth, Christa placed seventh and Nikslinska placed ninth in epée.
2008 Woodie Awards
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